Chicago Riverwalk

Why It’s Cool: Beneath the Gothic Chicago Tribune Tower, Art Deco NBC Tower, and bling Trump Tower, a garden of hot-pink and purple flowers attracts monarch butterflies to the south bank of the Chicago River. There, two stories below street level, a mile-long walkway creates a respite from city noise. Relax in an Adirondack chair at the dock for Mercury Cruises (where the butterfly garden is), or head to O’Brien’s Riverwalk Café for cold lemonade and a strawberry-watermelon-spinach salad.

Don’t Miss: For the first 10 minutes of each hour, Centennial Fountain at the east end shoots water in a great arc across the river.

Chicago Riverwalk

Why It’s Cool: Beneath the Gothic Chicago Tribune Tower, Art Deco NBC Tower, and bling Trump Tower, a garden of hot-pink and purple flowers attracts monarch butterflies to the south bank of the Chicago River. There, two stories below street level, a mile-long walkway creates a respite from city noise. Relax in an Adirondack chair at the dock for Mercury Cruises (where the butterfly garden is), or head to O’Brien’s Riverwalk Café for cold lemonade and a strawberry-watermelon-spinach salad.

Don’t Miss: For the first 10 minutes of each hour, Centennial Fountain at the east end shoots water in a great arc across the river.